Who is really making the decision?

2010 01 04 - the New Year

Where are you headed and what is the path? Did you decide on your own or was there an influence?

From the Book – The Little Book of Big Questions by Dianna Booher

How do you distinguish between guidance that comes from your own intentions and guidance that’s divinely inspired?

If you pour water into a clean bucket, it’s likely the water will remain pure. But pour water into a contaminated bucked and the water becomes part of the residue. In the same way, we are like contaminated receptacles, full of our own thoughts, intentions, motives, likes, and dislikes. Ideas, motives, and decisions that pop from our own minds come from either reasoning or rationalization. They rarely contradict our personal emotions or wills. It’s difficult not to mix our thoughts with divine inspiration.

So how can you distinguish between the two? (1) The Word of God; (2) the circumstances you find yourself in; (3) and peace of mind about your course of action – when all three of these are consistent, you will find yourself operating on inspiration, not exasperation. – by Dianna Booher

Does man really come up with his own intentions based on his experiences? Are ALL experiences a result of a divine plan? How much meditation/prayer is needed to discern what God is telling you?

My pastor uses the German word Sitzimleben to speak of a person’s “situation in life” does that influence our decisions more than the Word? We are all human, at least most of us, is the human experience rather than the divine a greater influence with the majority of the people? Do all people experience divine influence? Some choose not to realize it, yet they are still influenced?

I am interested on your thoughts related to your situation vs. divine influence.

2009 05 19
Places
Where are the places that you like to go and where are the places we really never what to be, yet land there from time to time? I am talking about emotional places. It seems that we are an intelligent lot; we know intellectually where we should be emotionally. Be happy, be thankful, enjoy the day, be kind, be nice and yet sometimes we slip out of those places into the dark places.

Once we slip, we know to call a friend or a partner and let them know we are not in a “good place”. That does work by the way to let others help you move from the ugly place to a more pleasant place and yet that call requires a conscious act taken to change an emotional state. We have to make a decision to take that step. It seems that the act of taking the step is the key yet so often we fight the action.

Why is that we do not respond to our emotional understanding and ask others to give us a little push? Do we enjoy the drama; do we have a need to spend a little time in the darkness? Does the time away from happiness have a physical effect that humans require to exist?

It seems to be even so with God, I know what he can do in my life, I know that as I walk with him my life is better and end up residing and going to good and healthy places. Yet too often, I turn away or I just don’t listen. Is that the key; we need to listen more often for the help, for the guidance for the path back? We know and have the tools, but don’t always use them.

We will see you on the bight sunny side.

It is a Journey - resolution is overrated.

Lenten Journey 2009 02 28
It is with regret that I write to you today my friend; I feel that I may have misled you with my previous post. In my effort to share my struggle, I believe I left much of the argument undone. I may have understated the length of the battle. In addition, gave an impression that the struggle is easily defeated.

Please let me clarify; forgiveness is a weapon in the battle and the battle is constant. For humanity, it has always been a struggle within our human nature and will always be due to our human nature. It continues and is not always resolved, yet like a battle it will ebb and flow. It will be vicious and violent and there will be moments of calm, almost a resolve. There are dark, cold and smoky moments and yet moments when the thick mist clears and briefly the sun warms the battleground. Make no mistake, at least for me, it is a continual struggle, yet with forgiveness, there are more opportunities for peace, clarity and warmth. We are human. Jesus Christ in human form, forgave unconditionally and yet we know of his struggles while in human form. He asked for guidance from the Father, he asked for help. So, realize that is why we need His help during our struggles.

Life has struggles and will always have struggles. The struggle may be small like a disagreement or a transgression observed. It may be a more significant battle as in a dispute that lacks resolve with an unknown human or it may be full out war that is violent. The point, due to human nature we all struggle; you and I are instructed to use forgiveness, compassion and kindness to mitigate the struggle and not let the struggle distract from our walk with Lord.

Recently at a gathering I attended, a more experienced woman, related to the group a struggle that confronted her family. It was a conflict related to inter-faith marriage and within which faith to raise the children. It created considerable debate that was becoming destructive. The matriarch of the family finally spoke, she said, “all we have to do and will do, is to love them, love them and love them”. How powerful is that statement? This is not an attempt to again, as I did in my previous post, to simplify the complexity of the conflict; it is simply, an illustration of peace.

I know that within the blog I will not resolve the discussion that many before had and many more to come will have related to forgiveness. You should realize it is complex as the nature of humanity and been discussed in detail throughout the history of man. Yet there is peace in forgiveness, there is courage in forgiveness and there is kindness in forgiveness. Let it be a part of your life, I am trying to let it be a bigger part of mine. Ask for the help.

Remember forgiveness allows for clarity, peace and warmth. You and I are the beneficiaries of our own forgiveness that is given. It strengthens each of us in our walk with God. Forgiveness is not approval of another’s actions or thoughts, it is not our condoning another’s transgression; it is the forgiveness that allows us to turn it over to God for resolution. It is His to judge, it is not ours.

Therefore, love them, love them, love them and then let it be.

The Lenten Journey

Lenten Journey
I enjoy spiritual fiction. It often casts light on the common struggles in the lives of humanity.

Recently I read “The Shack” it reminded me of the Peretti books and how humans consciously and unconsciously relate to God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as well, angels and demons.

The Lenten season is a special time of year for me. It is significant in that I have a structured opportunity to go on a reflective spiritual journey. Journeys are not always a pleasant trip, they are not a vacation; they are a journey and there are good and bad times. There are light and heavy times. Those times are a significant part of the journey, an opportunity to move from one place to another. In the process (Journey), you will experience much! You must open yourself up to the experience. Strive to notice, feel and embrace the journey. Learn from the experience!

This Lenten season I am using a journey guide prepared and written by Bill Ekhardt. The guide is at his blog “Ekhardt.com”. The daily focus this week has been on Ephesians chapter 4. One of instructions set forth in chapter 4 is to avoid the dark side or the demons of Despair, Fear, Anger, Hatred, Bitterness, Rage, and Slander. Ephesians 4:27 says, “Don’t give the devil a way to defeat you”! The instruction spoke to me. I struggle with FORGIVNESS. To me it was mine to give and I guess based on free will it is but, in reality, it is one of the Spirit’s greatest strengths used to fight the battle with darkness. This week I realize as part of my journey, by the grace of God, I need to forgive; I need forgiveness in the battle!

In Peretti’s “The Present Darkness” the theme that angels represent COURAGE, HOPE, and FAITH and are prepared to battle the dark demons on behalf of the saints. It is a good illustration of my struggles as a human. I feel that struggle this year. Do you? I want to do my part to win the battle. I have, at times, let the darkness win. Those are times that I was not in step with the Lord. Despair, hate, anger and bitterness sat on my chest and my heart; a full 36 (24/7) the darkness was me. I let the angel warriors down, I let myself down. I let God down. This is a heavy part of the journey. I realized I had to come back to my walk with Jesus Christ; I could not do it alone. I need the help of all the angels to do battle with the darkness. I always knew this but, whether it was pride or other human frailties, I thought I was the center and had control. I am NOT the center and I DO NOT have the control. To win I needed help! So, I asked for help. How and what happens?

You come back to God, He is always there and He will ALWAYS be there! You pray, you ask for strength and you begin to battle. Within an instant, the darkness weakens. Remember this, the instant you ask for help the darkness diminishes, the battle continues but, you are not alone in the battle! In fact, you will have more Strength and Courage to battle! God will lift you; the Holy Comforter will surround you and fill you with warmth, peace and courage! Jesus Christ takes on the battle and as always battles for you and for me! Peace, Love and Goodness now surrounds you. What wonderful protection.

This season I remember, we must use KINDNESS, COMPASSION and FORGIVNESS to win. To fight the battle, we must FORGIVE others as the Lord forgave and continues to forgive us! As despair and darkness diminish, you will realize the comfort of Hope, Faith and Love.

Pray hard! Peace be with you this season.

The Beginning

Who knows what will appear here, I am sure that some thoughts will be original and others will be claimed and renamed. I often wonder if there are really any new thoughts that occur in the world. Are there thoughts that have never been thought? Maybe but yet the human condition would seem to be an ongoing process that repeats it’s self in various forms throughout time. Yet I know for me there are ALWAYS new thoughts that are at least new to me so forgive me if you read comments and observations in this blog that you have heard and or thought yourself. The intent is to stimulate thought and reflection. Of course you will find information that I find interesting or of importance to me. I love to think and my human nature loves to espouse my brilliant musings and observation. The intent is to share and receive input on the thoughts shared in the blog.

Well where to start? I guess at the beginning. I was born a long time ago or at least my soul feels as if I am an ol’ soul…oh wait; maybe the beginning is the wrong place to start. Maybe I should be a little more current. Stay tuned!